Zornheym is a 5 piece Symphonic Extreme Metal band formed by ex-members of Dark Funeral, Devian, Diabolical and Facebreaker. The band is all set to release their upcoming debut full length ‘Where Hatred Dwells and Darkness‘ via Non-Serviam Records on September 15th, 2017.

First off, I was keen on spinning this album mainly because of the genre that I dig a lot. Something, that remains close to my heart. Orchestra, melodies and Extreme Metal is something that I thoroughly enjoy any day. As much as how my expectations about this album were high, it also left me satisfied to a great extent in the end. I write this review as I listen to it. The kind of quality that usually goes into such music, probably down the lines of Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, Cradle of Filth, Advent Sorrow to name some.

Starting off with a smashing track such as ‘The Opposed’; the vibe built has managed to sustain throughout. I found this particularly fascinating as the fluidity in the album trails with a rich impression. That is a challenge for any band, especially while writing such complex songs that maintains a steady rhythm throughout. The vocals provided by Bendler, sounds really passionate. It is indeed a boon to have such great musicians come together to create admirable music whose melodies are remarkable. The cutting edge guitar sections in the record stand out. It is fast, melodic and captivates the inner depths of the souls. The groove and acoustic parts woo the listeners with their brilliant characters. The drums together with the guitars have praised the overall reception of this record. It builds a supernatural atmosphere that takes you into the Diablo’s world.

The band even got aboard an orchestral group and their own choir group, Chorus Tenebris in this album which added an ‘organic’ touch to it. This is obviously a good sign as the band knows where it’s headed. No compromises, whatsoever. What really got me hooked was the lyrical content that took me by surprise. It isn’t the usual devil worshipping, anti-Christian themes that go with most bands of this genre. I am glad that this was a lot different than I expected. It is highly philosophical and describes the threatening experience of patients that have severe psychological disorders and the trauma encountered by the people around them. It is an unusual description about the spine-chilling, horror incidences occurring in asylums. Cold Blood, disgust, abhorrence is all described here in the most shocking manner. It was only after understanding the lyrics did I know what the cover art was describing. It is absolutely brilliant in such a sense.

The track ‘Whom the night brings….’ is my personal favorite track and this describes everything that I have described above. Also, pieces such as ‘…..And the darkness came swiftly’, ‘Hestia’ deserve a special mention!